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I vividly remember getting a Limited Too catalog in the fourth grade and its pages being filled with only military inspired looks. It was all camo everything and I coveted every last bit of it. Looking back, it was all pretty ugly and I think it traumatized me, making me fear military trends for years to come.

But lo and behold military 2013: where camo is praised and masculine pieces are welcomed with open arms. This time around I apprehensively accepted the trend and eased into it via a purchase of some combat-esque boots which I fell in love with. (But literally, there’s almost no traction on these shoes. I love them, but I may or may not have wiped out in a dining hall on more than one occasion.)

Another (much less embarrassing) perk of the military trend is that it’s a simple way to bring some style into your 8 AM class. So listen up, girl with last night’s eyeliner on her cheek, because it’s time to pull it together.

What immediately drew me to this particular Fashionista was her ability to mix and match masculine and feminine pieces seemingly effortlessly, which I believe is a perfectly acceptable skill to put on a resume. The outfit seemed reminiscent of Rihanna’s during her last SNL appearance (sans the weird green screen), which are major bonus points in my book. This Fashionista balances her military inspired jacket and black boots with a floral top and tights, which create softness and texture. This look is also practical, which is important since this is still Michigan and it is still the middle of January. She layers a grey sweatshirt underneath the jacket and some socks on top of the tights, which peak out a little above the boots.

So if you’re one to think that style must be sacrificed in the name of early morning comfort, I think this Fashionista just proved you wrong.

One Simple Change: Switch out the light jacket for a chic leather one to transition the look from your (early) day to night!